BE CAMELOT
by sidhefaerie
Summary: Different points of view at the same Saxon Battle.
1. INTRODUCTION

BE CAMELOT!  
THE SAXON HOARDS ARE UPON US.

The battle is about to begin. The Round Table of Camelot must defend the land and embody the true spirit and ideals that it stands for.

They must all BE CAMELOT

BE BRAVE (QUEEN GUINEVERE)  
BE IN COMMAND (KING ARTHUR)  
BE PROTECTIVE (MERLIN)  
BE INVINCIBLE (SIR LEON)  
BE STRONG (SIR GWAINE)  
BE FIERCE (SIR ELYAN)  
BE STEADFAST (SIR PERCIVAL)  
BE PREPARED (GAIUS)


	2. BE BRAVE

**BE BRAVE (QUEEN GUINEVERE)**  
Time. Guinevere thought she had all the time in the world but now as they stand here hand in hand she can feel the time they thought they had slip away. Minute by minute drains second by second.

The Knights are behind them tense and impatient for the call. There is fear and the smell of polished armor in her nose. The jangling of chainmail fills her ears.

She glances to his other side. There is Merlin as always. Today instead of a big grin adorning his face, he is pale and serious. This is not the time for his jokes.

She feels the wind pick up and sees the hoards ahead of them move. They are like a wave of death flowing over the land. She looks at the ground as nausea washes over her.

She feels his hand tighten its grip on hers. She returns the squeeze. Somehow they reassure each other in that moment. She takes a breath to calm her nerves.

"Ready?" He whispers. She knows that he has his doubts.

"I'm ready." She whispers back. If he knew the truth he would send her away. She wasn't a warrior like him.

He pulls his sword. It makes a ringing sound as it's released from its scabbard. He looks to Merlin and they nod to each other. That is the only communication they need.

He looks at her and smiles. She gives him a weak smile back. She tries to hide her fear. She is sure he sees it in her eyes.

They share one last kiss before the battle. Will it be their last kiss? She tries not to think about it but she can't help herself. She lets go of his hand reluctantly and pulls her sword.

FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT! He shouts.

The knights answer him. FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!

He points his sword forward and they all rush down the hill. They are side by side until the first enemy is reached.

She loses sight of him. She does what she has learned in the training he insisted she attend. She fights hard for herself, for her family, for Camelot and for her King.

The battle rages for what seems like forever.

She fells her last enemy and looks around. She sees nothing but bodies. Blood red capes and bloody bodies as far as the eye can see.

She starts to panic. Where is he?

"GUINEVERE!"

It's him. He is alive. She runs to the sound of his voice jumping over bodies as she goes. It feels like it takes forever to reach him. She falls against him. She kisses him passionately.

"Arthur!" She whispers in relief.

He laughs. She cries.

Merlin smiles.


	3. BE IN COMMAND

**BE IN COMMAND (KING ARTHUR)**  
This was not the plan. He is supposed to rule a quiet peaceful kingdom with the woman he loves by his side. Now he stands here hand and hand with his beloved facing death. This was never the plan. She should be home sewing and looking over the household accounts not here on a battlefield. But he trained her and she insisted.

He can feel the tension from the knights behind him. He can hear their restlessness as their chainmail jangles. They know they are vastly outnumbered. They know that there is more than a chance that they will never return to Camelot. It's a knight's duty to fight for his king. It is a grave duty indeed. He is their king and he is sending them to their deaths. He doesn't take this lightly.

He sees her glance towards Merlin. Merlin with his serious face not the silly grin he wears to cover what he is really thinking. He squeezes her hand to reassure her but mostly to reassure him. He knows she is nervous he can feel it in the way she squeezes his hand back.

He leans down and whispers in her ear. "Ready?"

She looks up at him with fear in her eyes and whispers back. "I'm ready."

He knew it was a lie but he had no choice but to do what they were here for. He pulls his sword feeling it scrape in the scabbard.

He looked at Merlin and they nodded to each other. It was a gesture he and Merlin had perfected over the years. It amazed him that one look shared with his friend could speak volumes.

He turns back to his Queen and smiles. She gives him a shaky smile, the fear in her eyes has increased. He leans down and kisses her lingering on her lips as long as he dared. She lets go of his hand and pulls her sword. He sees her hand shake.

He takes a deep breath and makes the decision he hopes he will not regret. He holds up his sword and shouts."FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!"

He hears the knights repeat the call and he points his sword forward to charge.

He will fight for his kingdom and his people but he will fight hardest for the people he cares the most for. They make contact with the enemy and the battle begins.

The battle is quicker than some but it is bloody.

He fells man after man. He kicks the last man off of his sword and looks around. The field is still. Where is she? Is she dead or hurt? He knew he would regret this.

"GUINEVERE!"

He waits and hears nothing. She can't be dead. She can't be hurt. She has to be … she slams into his chest. She kisses him with fiery passion, she pulls back and she whispers his name. "Arthur!"

He puts his arms around her and holds on tightly. She is all right. He laughs in relief.

He sees Merlin smiling.


	4. BE PROTECTIVE

**BE PROTECTIVE (MERLIN)**  
He looks down the hill at the Saxons and resists the urge to run. It is his destiny to protect his king. It's really not just the King now but the Queen as well. He is the one that will help Arthur build a new world, Albion. They have much work to do before it's all over. Please let it not be over today.

The jangling and shuffling of the Knights is bringing his nerves on edge. Whatever happens today it will not be forgotten. He looks down at the sword in his hand and flexes his fingers to get a better grip. His palms are sweaty. The new chainmail Gwen insisted he wear is heavy on his shoulders. It smells of polish. He hates that smell.

He watches the King and Queen out of the corner of his eye. Hand in hand they stand together. He worries for them both. It is his job. He isn't sure that she should even be here. He remembers the fight they had when she told him she was coming.

He sees Gwen glance at him. She looks as frightened as he feels. He knew Arthur could see it too.

The King and Queen share a few whispers and Arthur pulls his sword. The scraping noise it makes brings his nerves over the edge. Arthur makes eye contact with him. He nods in response to Arthur unasked question. He is as ready as he will get.

That's it then they are all going to die, he thinks. Maybe.

He watches them share a last kiss. He grips his sword again. It feels odd in his hand. It's not the only weapon he has.

He hears the battle cry but doesn't repeat it. He rushes down the hillside and meets the enemy. He extends his hand and uses his magic to fell the first one and his sword to fell the next. He uses his magic more than his sword but he fells many. He saves Arthur from attackers more than a few times as he keeps from being killed himself.

The battle is bloody and grisly. Bodies and blood fly everywhere.

The field grows silent. He doesn't see Gwen or the Knights. He wonders if he will ever see them again.

"GUINEVERE!" Arthur shouts.

He sees Gwen running over bodies to Arthur. She runs into Arthur's chest making him step back. They share a more than passionate kiss as the knights come up behind Arthur. He looks at each Knight as they approach. He hears Arthur laugh.

He looks at his friends … no … his family and smiles.


	5. BE INVINCIBLE

**BE INVINCIBLE (SIR LEON)**  
This was not his first battle so he couldn't understand why he was so nervous. He shifted his weight on his feet and looked over the King's shoulder at the enemy ahead. They were vastly outnumbered but the Knights of Camelot were skilled fighters. He adjusted his glove on his sword hand and pushed back his cloak. He drew his sword and waited.

He sees Arthur flex his fingers and make a fist with his sword hand. Arthur's other hand is being gripped tightly by the Queen.

He wasn't sure if the Queen should be here but she has been well trained by Arthur and by him. She is better than some of the knights but still not as skilled as he would have like.

He watches as the King and Queen exchange whispers and then Arthur gives a nod to Merlin. Merlin nods in response. Merlin is tense and it shows on his face. Arthur gives his Queen a kiss and they draw their swords.

FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!

He shouts it back loudly. He does it to remind himself why he's here. He takes a breath and follows his King into battle. He and some other knights move to the left flank to contain the enemy.

He fights hard and skillfully. Many fall at the end of his sword. He turns and takes on each man sometimes two at a time. He feels the sweat and the enemy's blood cover him. A few of his fellow Knights fall around him but he keeps going until there is no one left.

He stands for a minute and looks around making sure there is truly no one else to fight. He nods and gathers the remaining knights. They must find the King and Queen.

He hears Arthur call out and he leads the Knights to the sound.

He finds the King and Queen in each other's arms and Merlin looks at him and smiles. He nods back in response and smiles. They are alive to fight for Camelot again.


	6. BE STRONG

**BE STRONG (SIR GWAINE)**  
He looked over the Queen's shoulder at the enemy below and smiled. We have no chance, he thought, just the odds I like. He shook back his hair and looked at the other Knights standing in the row beside him. They all looked nervous and tense. He just smiled.

He saw the Queen give a glance to Merlin who was standing oddly still and wearing shiny new chainmail. Not on Arthur's suggestion, he was sure.

The King and Queen of Camelot were holding hands and whispering. No doubt some last minute love words before the battle.

Arthur's sword scrapes eerily as he pulls it from the scabbard. He shakes off the chill it gives him. This is not a time for the willies. He has people to kill.

Arthur and Merlin nod in that 'we're gonna die' way they have. Somehow it reassures him.

He smiled at the sweet kiss the Sovereigns shared. Someday he will have a pretty girl to kiss before a battle.

The Queen pulls her sword and holds it with a shaking hand. He knows she can hold her own even if she doesn't believe it now.

FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT! Arthur gives the battle cry.

The other Knights repeat the King but he just laughs. It's time for his fun to begin.

They follow the King as he charges down toward the enemy. He and some of the other Knights take the right flank and work to keep the enemy from spreading around behind them. They are outnumbered for sure but Arthur is skilled in strategy that this bunch has no idea of.

They fight. He kills and maims many disarming and then removing said arm on occasion. The fight is bloody but he doesn't care. It's the thrill of it. The surge of adrenaline pumping through his veins that makes him fight grows as he fells one after another. Then there is none left for him or the other Knights in his group to kill. He looks at them and notes there are a few that have fallen. They will be remembered well.

He hears Arthur call out to Gwen. Its sounds a little worried. He waves the other Knights to follow him back to the king.

He gets there just in time to see Gwen slam into Arthur's chest. He watches her kiss him and wishes he had that pretty girl now.

He chuckles to himself and vows that just what he'll do when they get back to Camelot.

He looks at Merlin and nods as Merlin smiles. They are alive to fight again. He wonders when that will be.


	7. BE FIERCE

**BE FIERCE (SIR ELYAN)**  
He stood behind his sister and watched her. My sister shouldn't be here he thought. She is a Queen. At least she had been training with them since they were married. She was good but she was still his sister.

He flexed his hand around his battle axe. His preferred weapon weighted heavily in his hand.

He had his sword too. He had forged it himself. He had forged the light sword that his sister carried. It was a gift for her birthday.

He shifted his weight and shrugged his chainmail covered shoulders. He was already edgy.

He watched the three people in front of him. Gwen looked at Merlin. He saw Arthur squeeze her hand and Gwen give his a squeeze back. They exchanged whispers. Arthur pulled his sword. It won't be long now. Arthur gives a nod to Merlin and kisses Gwen. Gwen lets go of his hand and draws her sword. He can see his sister's hand shake.

FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT!

He holds up his battle axe and repeats the battle cry. He follows Arthur in the charge on the enemy. He stays close to Gwen.

He swings his axe and heads and bodies. One after another of the enemy fall by his hand. He fights out his demons with each blow he makes.

He feels a stinging pain in his arm and looks down to see the blood. He swings at the man's head and it flies off blood spurting. He keeps fighting even though he his dizzy and weakening. He looks to his sister as he fells the last man to come at him.

Arthur calls out to Gwen. Gwen runs to Arthur.

He falls to his knees but he knows he should follow her. He drags himself up and follows the path his sister took to the King. He comes up behind them. He sees Merlin smiling and then everything goes black.


	8. BE STEADFAST

BE STEADFAST (SIR PERCIVAL)  
He looks over the King's shoulder at the enemy. It's all there is for some distance back. This was not what he bargained for when he left his farm to join Arthur's fight. He was just a farmer then but now he is a Knight of Camelot. He wasn't sure this was the path he intended to take but he's on it none the less.

Unlike the others he left the blood red cloak of his status back at camp. The chill of the breeze on his bare arms was refreshing if not a bit chilly.

He saw the little Queen give Merlin a look. Merlin looked as solemn as a dead man. He winced at his choice of words.

He looked down at the King and Queen holding hands and wondered what they were thinking about all this.

He hears the King as his Queen if she is ready and she tells him she is. He is glad she is because he is definitely not. The little Queen is much braver than she seems.

Arthur pulls his sword and it scrapes against the scabbard making him have goose flesh. He wonders if it was intentional.

Arthur and Merlin share a nod. He's seen that before and it was always right before someone dies. He looked to either side and hoped they would all be still standing at the end of this.

He looked back just in time to see the King and Queen kiss. He remembered his parents and his Mary back in the village he was from and wondered what they would think of all this.

The Queen drops the King's hand to pull her sword with a shaking hand. It's good that she is nervous, he thinks, it will make her more cautious.

"FOR THE LOVE OF CAMELOT"

He repeats the battle cry and adds a roar.

He follows Arthur as he leads the charge. He goes past Arthur deeper into the heart of the enemy forces. He easily defeats the poorly trained men and holds his position as the Saxons come to kill the giant. Fists and sword and brute strength fells one after another.

A woman comes up on him from behind and slices his shoulder. He pulls her around and to the ground before he realizes that she's a woman. The stinging in his shoulder reminds him that he must not hesitate. He slams a fist into her jaw as she tries to stab him again with the short sword she was carrying. Out is better than dead, at least he didn't kill a woman.

He fells three more and then there is no more. He stands there and looks at the gash on his shoulder and frowns. It's not deep but he's sure it will need stitches and a good cleaning. Maybe it's time to rethink the sleeveless chainmail.

He hears a worried Arthur call out to Gwen. They must have gotten separated, he thinks. He jogs back to where he hears the sound comes from. He sees the little Queen run into the King and kiss him like she means it.

The other Knights come up on them. He looks at Merlin who has a big smile on his face. He smiles back.

He feels a hand on his arm and he turns just as Elyan is falling to his knees. He picks up his now unconscious friend and carries him back to camp walking behind the king and queen once again hand in hand.


	9. BE PREPARED

**BE PREPARED (GAIUS)**  
He didn't usually accompany them into battle but he felt that he needed to be here. He needed to do something. He set up a hospital tent for the wounded in the camp. He busied himself until it was time for the King and Queen to lead the Knights unto the battlefield.

The night before he had asked the Queen to stay with him and tend to the wounded. She told him that her place was beside the King now. He understood but he still had to ask.

He watched as they went off to battle. He stood at the edge of camp and waited for the first of the wounded. It was all an old man could do for his King.

He heard the battle cry and felt sick. He knew lives would be lost. There will be widows and fatherless children when this was all over. It was the same for every war.

He waited listening to the sounds of battle. When he heard nothing, he still waited. He wanted nothing more than to rush out of camp and find those he cared about the most.

In the failing light he saw them coming back. The King and Queen were in front holding hands as they walked. The four Knights of Roundtable fame followed. Percival was carrying an unconscious Elyan. Merlin was in the back of them looking over his shoulder, ever the protector of those he held most dear.

"Put him over there." He instructed Percival. He looked at the deep gash in Elyan's arm and started to clean and stitch it. Elyan had lost a lot of blood but he will heal.

He looked over and saw the Queen tending to a minor wound on the King's cheek. Merlin was dressing a wound in Percival's shoulder. Gwaine and Leon were keeping an eye on things.

The King had given orders to a group of soldiers to look for wounded. Wounded were now coming into the tent some on their own and some being helped in.

His work was just beginning as the sun went down. He had been prepared for anything and now it was here.


End file.
